What does it mean that the Trinity is God in three Persons?

what does the bible say?

The Bible reveals that God exists in three Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of God has a distinct personhood and role, but all work together in perfect unity according to the will of God. God the Father establishes and orchestrates His plan for the universe. God reveals Himself to humanity through the creation of the heavens and earth (Romans 1:20), through the revelation of His written word in the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and through the greatest demonstration of His love – the sacrificial death and resurrection of His Son (John 3:16). God the Son, Jesus Christ, came to earth to execute the plans and will of God the Father to complete perfection (John 6:38), culminating with His sacrificial death on the cross and resurrection from the dead as the only means of salvation for humanity from sin and death (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Jesus forever lives as our Great High Priest to pray for us (Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:34) and will return to earth to reign as the King of kings and Lord of lords (John 14:1-3; Revelation 19:11-16). God the Holy Spirit convicts and draws people to seek salvation from God (John 16:8-11). As believers, the Holy Spirit indwells, helps, teaches, and empowers us to walk with Jesus (Ephesians 1:13-14; John 14:26, 15:26). The Spirit also prays for us (Romans 8:26-27), transforms us into the image of Christ (Philippians 2:12-13), and gives us assurance of salvation as children of God (Romans 8:14-17; John 1:12).

from the old testament

• God created the universe (Genesis 1:1-3, Psalm 19:1).
• Genesis 1:26 uses the plural word for God elohim in stating, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.”
• God the Holy Spirit actively created the universe (Genesis 1:2).
• The Holy Spirit of God anointed and empowered servants of God - prophets, priests, kings, judges, etc (Genesis 41:37-38; Exodus 31:2-4; 1 Samuel 10:10; 2 Chronicles 24:20; Psalm 51:11; Isaiah 61:1).
• God promised to send His Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6-7).
• Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be crucified for our sins (Isaiah 53).
• The triune God is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4).

from the new testament

• God created the universe (John 1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:15-16).
• God authors salvation for the people of the world (John 3:16-17; John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
• God reveals Himself and His plans for humanity (Romans 1:19-20; Hebrews 1:1-2; Revelation 1:1).
• Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).
• Jesus is One with God the Father (John 10:30).
• The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4).
• God is the Alpha and Omega who is, who was and who is to come (Revelation 1:8)

implications for today

A person is defined as a being with thoughts (intellect), wills (volition), and emotions. While human beings with physical bodies are clearly persons, spiritual beings without physical bodies are persons as well (i.e. angels and God Himself). The Bible describes God as three Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. When trying to underst and God’s triune nature and personhood, we should remember that He is a completely different supernatural being from us. We must resist the urge to project our limited understanding of things upon God and bring Him down. Rather, we must adopt God’s heavenly understanding, which we learn from His Word . That teaches that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three Persons of the Trinity are always communicating with each other and working together to bring about the salvation of people like you and me. As we read through the Bible, we see that humanity sinned and rebelled against God resulting in death (Romans 3:23, 6:23). The good news is that God loves you and wants to save you from your sin. God the Father sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth to die on the cross for your sin. (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:10;1 Peter 3:18). John 3:16 tells us: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” Anyone who believes in Jesus for everlasting life is born again and becomes children of God (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Do you see how much God loves you? Is the Holy Spirit of God convicting you of your sin and need of salvation? Have you believed in Jesus and received His gift of eternal life? This is the work of the triune God in bringing people to salvation.

Recap

understand

• God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, distinct yet unified.
• The Trinity is not explicitly mentioned by name but is revealed through Scripture, with each Person playing a role in creation and salvation.
• The triune God works together to offer salvation, inviting us to underst and and believe in this divine cooperation.

reflect

• How does understanding God as three distinct Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) deepen your relationship with Him?
• How can the unity of the Trinity in their roles and purposes encourage you in your own life and relationships?
• How does the work of the triune God in salvation inform your faith and understanding of God’s love and character?

engage

• How can we better communicate the concept of the Trinity to others who may struggle to underst and it?
• What impact does recognizing the distinct roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have on our daily walk as Christians?
• How does the cooperative work of the Trinity challenge us to live in unity with one another in the body of Christ?