5) Three Persons, One God
How to understand the Trinity - Key texts, analogies and the mystery of divine unity
In the previous lessons, we saw that the Bible clearly teaches: there is one God only, and that one God exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But how is this possible? In this lesson, we will examine the texts that reveal the Trinity in action and explore ways to understand this divine mystery.
The Trinity in Key Texts
In the Great Commission, in whose name did Jesus command to baptize?
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Answer: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 28:19: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
Note that Jesus said “in the name” (singular), not “in the names” (plural). The three persons share one divine name, because they are one God.
At Jesus' baptism, how did the three persons of the Trinity manifest themselves?
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Answer: Jesus was baptized, the Spirit descended as a dove, the Father spoke from heaven
Matthew 3:16-17: "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
This is one of the clearest texts on the Trinity: the three persons appear simultaneously in different places, proving they are distinct persons.
What apostolic blessing mentions the three persons of the Trinity?
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Answer: The grace of the Lord Jesus, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit
2 Corinthians 13:13: "All the saints salute you."
Paul naturally includes all three persons in his blessing, showing that for the first Christians the Trinity was a practical reality, not just a theological concept.
“There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized.” — Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 615, par. 1.
The Trinity in the Old Testament
What Hebrew word for 'God' suggests plurality in unity?
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Answer: Elohim (plural)
Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
“Elohim” is the plural form of “El” (God). Although used with singular verbs (indicating one God), the plural form suggests a plurality within the Godhead, something that the New Testament reveals fully.
What did God say when creating man that suggests plurality?
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Answer: 'Let Us make man in Our image'
Genesis 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 creepeth upon the earth."
“Let Us make… Our image” uses plural language in God’s own speech. This text does not reveal the whole doctrine of the Trinity by itself, but it harmonizes with the later revelation of a plurality of persons within the Godhead.
How many persons are mentioned in Isaiah 48:16?
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Answer: Three (the Lord God, His Spirit, and the 'I' who speaks)
Isaiah 48:16: "Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me."
Unity and Distinction
Are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit the same person?
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Answer: No, they are three distinct persons who interact with each other
John 14:16-17: "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
Jesus prays to the Father (two distinct persons). Jesus promises to send “another Comforter” (a third distinct person). They are not the same person, but they are one God.
What did Jesus mean by 'I and the Father are one'?
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Answer: That they are one in essence/divine nature, though distinct persons
John 10:30: "I and my Father are one."
The same word “one” (hen) is used to describe the unity Jesus desired for His disciples. Just as disciples are distinct persons yet can be “one,” so the Father and Son are distinct persons yet are “one” in divine essence.
“Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,—one in nature, in character, in purpose,—the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34, par. 1.
Useful Analogies (and Their Limitations)
No analogy is perfect, but some can help:
Why are analogies like 'water in three states' (ice, liquid, vapor) inadequate?
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Answer: Because they suggest God changes form, not that they are three simultaneous persons
Matthew 3:16-17: "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
The water analogy (H₂O) suggests that God is sometimes Father, sometimes Son, sometimes Spirit — which is heresy (modalism). But at Jesus’ baptism, all three persons appear simultaneously!
Some comparisons may illustrate one aspect of the truth, but none adequately represents the Trinity. Therefore, we must use analogies with great caution. They may help show the limits of our understanding, but they must not serve as the basis for defining who God is.
“The mysteries of the Bible, so far from being an argument against it, are among the strongest evidences of its divine inspiration. If it contained no account of God but that which we could comprehend, if His greatness and majesty could be grasped by finite minds, then the Bible would not, as now, bear the unmistakable evidences of divinity.” — Ellen G. White, Education, p. 170, par. 2.
The Mystery Remains
Can we fully understand the nature of God?
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Answer: God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts
Isaiah 55:8-9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
The Trinity remains a mystery, not because it is irrational, but because it exceeds our capacity for comprehension. We can know enough to believe and love, but we will never know God exhaustively. And this is appropriate: a God who fit in our mind would not be worthy of worship.
And Now?
The doctrine of the Trinity has practical implications:
- Worship: We worship one God in three persons; Father, Son and Spirit deserve equal honor.
- Prayer: We can pray to the Father, in the name of the Son, under the guidance of the Spirit.
- Salvation: The Father planned, the Son executed, the Spirit applies. All three work together to save us.
- Communion: The triune God is relational in His own nature; we are created for relationships too.
My Decision
I accept the biblical doctrine of the Trinity: one God in three persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though I do not fully understand this mystery, I believe what the Bible reveals and worship the triune God with all my heart.