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This is a very difficult to understand doctrine that will never be properly understood until believers reach the Kingdom of Heaven. But despite not being able to 100% understand this doctrine, the Bible is quite clear that God is a Trinity.
Here is an Audio byte discussion on the Trinity
I will briefly show some verses that might help you understand this doctrine. I think the key to scripture is to understand Biblical Hermeneutics and to understand what to interpret literally and what to interpret figuratively. The passages below are all passages that are to be interpreted literarily and in their original CONTEXT.
One of the key problems to the cults is that they often take passages out of the Biblical and Historical CONTEXT and build their doctrines on these. OneNess Pentecostals for example in their critique of the Trinity doctrine take Acts 2:38 out of the Biblical and Historical CONTEXT and build a proof text on this verse that claims God is not a trinity. This is a good example of POOR HERMENEUTICS.
But below are the most common trinity passages that help support this Doctrine.
Verse #1
KJV
[1Jn 5:7] For there are three that bear record in heaven, the
Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are
one.
NKJV
[1Jn 5:7] For there are three that bear witness in heaven:
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are
one.
This is a verse that seems to be removed from all other non KJV translations. I do not understand why since its definitely the most explicit of all verses of evidence of a trinity. Trinity critics will argue that because the theological word is never explicitly mentioned in the bible, then this must make it a false doctrine.
There are DOZENS of Theological words and concepts that are never EXPLICITLY mentioned in the Canon of Scripture. But does this mean that these are all irrelevant doctrines? Certainly not. Below are a few of many Theological words that are not mentioned directly in the Bible. To find more one can Purchase the Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms on Amazon.com or at your local Christian bookstore. Or for even more depth purchase the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology and the New Dictionary of Theology. After an in-depth look at these texts you will discover DOZENS of terms that are never mentioned in the Bible. The list below lists a few such words.
Some words not explicitly mentioned in the bible but whose concept is taught in scripture.
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Bible |
The Holy Word of God. |
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General Revelation |
God reveals himself through the creation |
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Special Revelation |
God reveals himself through the person of Jesus Christ |
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Omnipresence |
God is present everywhere |
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Trinity |
God is revealed in 3 distinct persons all with the same substance and nature |
These are just some samples, but looking in my theological dictionary there are literally dozens of words that I could use. It amazes me that the trinity critics do not know this. Many of them fail to understand principles and concepts. They take everything as black and white and cannot think beyond this.
Verse #2
[2Co 13:14] The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
How can anyone looking at the above doubt the trinity in such a passage? Is not the Holy Trinity of God spelled out perfectly above?
Passage #3
[Mt 12:18] Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles.
If God is not a trinity then why would God say that He will put his spirit upon Jesus in this passage? I ask this of the Trinity critics. If the Holy Spirit is not part of God then why would God claim here in this passage that He has a spirit?
Passage #4
[Ge 1:26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that crept upon the earth.
The "us" and the "our" used above in the plural is used to indicate a being greater than man and greater than anything God has created. For nothing in the creation can create like God can. I have heard my trinity critics claim that this verse is a "plural of Majesty." I do not see this being taught in scripture.
There are literally dozen and dozens more passages in scripture that speak of a Trinity of God. Please do check these out on your own.
From NAVES TOPICAL BIBLE
Trinity, The Holy
Ge 1:26; 3:22; Isa 6:3,8; 11:2-3; 42:1; Mt 12:18; Isa 48:16; 61:1-3; Lk 4:18; Isa 63:9-10; Mt 1:18,20; 3:11; Mk 1:8; Lk 3:16; Mt 12:28; 28:19; Lk 1:35; 3:22; Mt 3:16; Lk 4:1,14; Jn 1:32-33; 3:34- 35; 7:39; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7,13-15; 20:22; Ac 1:2,4-5; 2:33; 10:36-38; Ro 1:3-4; 8:9-11,26- 27; 1Co 2:10-11; 6:19; 8:6; 12:3-6; 2Co 1:21-22; 5:5; 3:17; 13:14; Ga 4:4,6; Phl 1:19; Col 2:2; 2Th 2:13-14,16; 1Ti 3:16; Tit 3:4-6; Heb 9:14; 1Pe 1:2; 3:18; 1Jn 5:6-7; Rev 4:8 See God; Holy Spirit; Jesus, The Christ
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