The Triune God
We believe in the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
God eternally exists as three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God and there is one God.
- Although the word trinity is never found in the Bible, the concept represented by the word is taught in many places. The word trinity means tri-unity or three-in-oneness. It is used to summarize the teaching of Scripture that God is three persons yet one God.
- In one sense, the doctrine of the Trinity is a mystery that we will never be able to fully understand. However, we can understand something of its truth by summarizing the teaching of Scripture in three statements:
- God is three persons
- Jesus is distinct from God the Father: John 1:1-2, John17:24, 1 John 2:1
- The Holy Spirit is distinct from God the Father: John 14:26
- The Holy Spirit is distinct from Jesus: Matthew 28:19, John16:7
- Each person of the trinity is fully God
- God the Father is God: Genesis 1:1
- God the Son is God: John 1:1-4, 14, John 20:25-31
- God the Holy Spirit is God: Acts 5:3-4
- There is one God (in other words, God is one being)
- Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 45:5-6; 1 Tim 2:5; Rom 3:30
- The Doctrine of the Trinity is implied in the Old Testament and completely revealed in the New Testament.
- Old Testament:
- Gen 1:26: The plural verb and pronoun are used to indicate a plurality of persons in God himself.
- Psalm 45:6-7, Psalm110:1: A passage where one person is called God or Lord and distinguished from another person called Lord.
- Isaiah 63:10: Suggests that the Holy Spirit is distinct from God himself and that the Holy Spirit can be grieved suggesting characteristics of a distinct person.
- New Testament:
- Matt 3:16-17: At Jesus’ baptism the three members of the trinity are performing three distinct activities.
- Matt 28:18-20: Jesus commands us to baptize people in the name of the Trinity.
- 1 Peter 1:2, Jude 20-21: All three members of the trinity are mentioned in the same sentence.