Is the trinity in the Bible?

[Ezra]

The modern concept I was referring to is the idea that God is a being that consists of three persons.

 

Since this truth is embedded in Scripture at the very beginning (Gen 1:1,2; Jn 1:1-3) is certainly cannot be called "modern".

What is the Godhead?

The Greek word for God is Theos and the Greek word for Godhead is Theios, Theiotes, or Theotes.  You will find it in several passages (see Rom 1:20) and it means "the Deity" -- a noun with the definite article (the one true God). 

Regarding triune, are you familiar with the Hebrew Majestic Plural? The Majestic Plural is when a plural pronoun is used of single person to emphasize their greatness.

As a matter of fact, to the best of my knowledge, there is no such usage in Scripture. Please quote chapter and verse.

 

Edited February 12, 2015 by Ezra

[Deychrome]

If it were so important to believe in the "Trinity" why wouldn't the word itself have ever been used in scripture? I have been told before that I could not be saved without belief and understanding of the "Trinity", but I am just not the kind of person who can go along with others and say I believe in something that doesn't really make sense to me. Can you truly say you believe in something that you do not understand? Why is it important to believe ( or say you believe ) in the "Trinity"? Why does it matter?

[other one]

If it were so important to believe in the "Trinity" why wouldn't the word itself have ever been used in scripture? I have been told before that I could not be saved without belief and understanding of the "Trinity", but I am just not the kind of person who can go along with others and say I believe in something that doesn't really make sense to me. Can you truly say you believe in something that you do not understand? Why is it important to believe ( or say you believe ) in the "Trinity"? Why does it matter?

the word is not in the Bible, but the concept is.  

[wingnut-]

If it were so important to believe in the "Trinity" why wouldn't the word itself have ever been used in scripture? I have been told before that I could not be saved without belief and understanding of the "Trinity", but I am just not the kind of person who can go along with others and say I believe in something that doesn't really make sense to me. Can you truly say you believe in something that you do not understand? Why is it important to believe ( or say you believe ) in the "Trinity"? Why does it matter?

 

I John 5:⁷ For there are three that testify: ⁸ the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

[Deychrome]

Okay, other one, what is the "Trinity"? Why does it matter?

[RustyAngeL]

The Bible itself is Special Revelation... understanding through the Holy Spirit it is therefore the same.

So you're you're wrong again...

Yes I believe in the Trinity.  Jesus spoke often of He and the Father being one.  He then promised His followers that after He returned to His Father He would send The Comforter being the Holy Spirit. 

[Guest shiloh357]

Deychrome,  if something in the Bible has to be rationalized before we believe it, then you would not be able to believe in God at all.   The word, "Trinity" doesn't occur in the Bible, but the concept is there.    The words  "grandfather" doesn't occur in the Bible but we know there were grandfathers.   The word "legalism" doesn't occur in the Bible, but we know the Bible teaches against the concept.

 

We have to be careful in understanding that the Bible may not expressly articulate something in our modern vernacular or use our kind of modern linguistic precision, but that does not mean that certain theological concepts are not there.   The word "Trinity" is rooted in Latin and so it would naturally not appear in a Greek/Hebrew document.

 

The concept of the Trinity doesn't make sense, but it isn't meant to make sense.   God is beyond our ability to figure Him out.  God asks us to believe Him even when we don't understand all of the mechanics of truth.  God lives on a higher plain of reality than we do.  There are things about God for which we have no common frame of reference in our human experience.  The Trinity is one of those things.

[Guest]

what is the "Trinity"?

 

Why does it matter?

 

 

Who

 

Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:

“I am the first and I am the last; besides me

there is no god. Isaiah 44:6 (English Standard Version)

 

Is

 

For your Creator will be your husband; the LORD of Heaven's Armies is his name!

He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,

the God of all the earth. Isaiah 54:5 (New Living Translation)

 

The Tribune God

 

After Jesus was baptized, He went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for Him,

and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him.

And there came a voice from heaven:

This is My beloved Son.

I take delight

in Him! Matthew 3:16-17 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

 

And Why

 

For the life of a creature is in the blood, 

and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; 

it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. Leviticus 17:11 (New International Version)

 

Does

 

But God demonstrates His own love toward us,

in that while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (New American Standard Bible)

 

He

 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,

but have everlasting life. John 3:16

 

Matter

 

And if ye call on the Father,

who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb without blemish

and without spot: 1 Peter 1:17-19

[Ezra]

Why is it important to believe ( or say you believe ) in the "Trinity"? Why does it matter?

Here's why it matters that we believe what God has revealed about Himself:

1. God is essentially "unknowable" by man (Job 37:23).

2. God has condescended to reveal Himsef as the triune Godhead (Mt 28:19)

3. God has also revealed that Jesus is God (Heb 1:6-14)

4. God has also revealed that the Holy Spirit is God (Phil 2:12,13)

5. God has also revealed that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were all involved in creation (Gen 1:1,2; Jn 1:1-3)

6. Unless Jesus is God, He could not have paid for the sin of the world (Jn 1:29; Acts 20:28)

7. Unless we believe that Jesus of Nazareth is BOTH Lord (God) and Christ, we cannot be saved (Jn 20:28; Acts 2:36; 4:12)

8. Unles we receive Jesus as both Lord and Christ, we cannot be saved (Jn 1:12,13; Rom 10:8-13).

9. Unless we believe God, and believe His testimony regarding His Son, we cannot be saved (Heb 11:3,6; 1 Jn 5:1-21).

10. While the word "Trinity" (from the Latin trinitas and trinus) is not in Scripture, the truth of the one true and living God eternally existing as three distinct Divine Persons is Bible Truth.  Those who  reject this truth and reject the Deity of Christ cannot be saved. 

[other one]

Okay, other one, what is the "Trinity"? Why does it matter?

 

I can only express my thoughts on the subject....  what is important is that it makes the concept easy to understand for me.  Is it mandatory for salvation, I think Romans 10 would answer that....

 

as for the question of the trinity, I think the problem lies in what people make of the word "god"    God is not the name of an entity, it's the descriptive word of what is at the top of things in our lives.....     Some people's god is satan, others god is themselves (actually what Satan teaches).    I know people who's god is money and others power.  it's what you put at the top in your life......     the word means the same as deity in some cases such as saying Jesus is God. (btw that capitol G is just something we do as a respect to those entities "we" call our God)

So how do I get Father, Son and Holy Ghost as being my one God....

 

 

Sam's thoughts.

Ex 24:9-11 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy

of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was

under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it

were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the

children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat

and drink.

KJV

John 6:44-46 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent

me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in

the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore

that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not

that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath

seen the Father.

KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~

Moses and friends saw the God of Israel and were not harmed.

Jesus says that no man has seen the father except He that came from

Him.

So it seems to me that the Father that Jesus speaks of is not what that

the Nation of Israel interfaced with in the Old Testament.

Looking further:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John 1:1-10 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All

things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that

was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the

light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There

was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a

witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might

believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that

Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh

into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and

the world knew him not.

KJV

John 8:52-58 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a

devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man

keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than

our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom

makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is

nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is

your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should

say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him,

and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he

saw it, and was glad.

Trinity Thoughts

Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and

hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say

unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seems to me to be saying that Jesus was what the Nation of Israel

interfaced with in the Old Testament days. Jesus in this form was with

the Father from the beginning.

It seems to me that the people of the Old Testament days were not aware

of the Father except for what they saw through the Jesus in the form he

existed in before he became flesh.

Further:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Phil 2:5-11Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with

God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a

servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in

fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted

him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name

of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in

earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It appears to me that Jesus as the word was that which the Father

worked through to manifest Himself to the people of the Old Testament

times. Jesus did not regard himself to want to be the equal to the

Father so He took the form of a human to further the works of the

Father on earth.

Jesus was deity by being in the form of God, but it was the Father that

did the work through Him when he was the Word. It appears that the only

thing that has changed is Jesus is now flesh working the same way only

as a man. The Father exercises His will through Jesus, now in the

fleshly body.

`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John 14:10-11 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the

Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself:

but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that

I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the

very works' sake.

KJV

 

John 17:20-26 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which

shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as

thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in

us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory

which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as

we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in

one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved

them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou

hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory,

which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of

the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I

have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I

have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love

wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seems to me that Jesus just extended the conduit from Him to us for

the Father to do His work through Jesus to us so we could know the

Father as the Father knows us. Thus we now can do the work of the

Father. I believe this is the path and workings of the Holy Spirit

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

1 Cor 15:20-28 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the

firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man

came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so

in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order:

Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to

God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all

authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies

under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he

hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are

put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all

things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then

shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things

under him, that God may be all in all.

KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jesus, before His ascension told the Apostles that all power and

authority had been given to Him. After he has subdued everything Jesus

will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to

Him........ The Father.

I don't see the Son always being equal with the Father, either when He

was the word nor in the flesh. He will also be subject to the Father

after He does the job of bringing the kingdom into it's full power over

all and giving it to the Father.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 Cor 8:4-6 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are

offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the

world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be

that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods

many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of

whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom

are all things, and we by him.

KJV

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But to us, there is but one God, The Father of whom all things

came from......

And one Lord, Jesus whom we call the Christ, through which all things

came including us.

And we have the Holy Spirit which was sent to us from the Father at the

request of Jesus.

Interestingly, all three are one in thought, one in purpose, and one in

action. We can't interface with the Father without being indwelt by

the Holy Spirit, and we can't have the Holy Spirit without the

sacrifice and request of Jesus, and we couldn't have had Jesus without

the Father asking Him to do what he has done for us.

You have to have all three or none. And thus they are one.

 

 

 

 

Does it matter......   it does to me for it also answers other questions I have had over the years.