Hebrews 11:6 says: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

We must receive everything regarding how God has revealed Himself in the Bible- and act accordingly.  Receiving what the Bible says in relation to the Trinity is one facet of the many facets of that (see our study “The As Long as You Believe in the Essentials Delusion” in relation to this).

There are many, many proofs of the Trinity clearly spelled out in the Bible.  Here are some of these.

We see the Trinity illustrated by the events recorded in 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.”

It is clear that the Father is not Jesus.

Jesus says in John 6:38: “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”

One person cannot have two different wills.  Jesus had a human will in His incarnation which He had to deny.

Matthew 26:36-39: “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.  And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.  Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.  And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

It is also clear that neither the Father nor Jesus are the Holy Spirit.  

Jesus clearly told His disciples on the night before He was crucified that He would depart, go to the Father, and then send the Spirit.

John 15:26: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me…”

John 16:7-11: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

We see how the Apostle Peter understood this and echoed this on the Day of Pentecost after Jesus had died, risen again, and then sent the Holy Spirit unto His disciples.

Acts 2:32-36: “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool.  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Some use the three states of water  (ice, liquid water, and water vapor) to illustrate the Trinity- but that is misleading- since it gives the false impression that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are just the same person in a different form.  We’ve seen proof here that this is not the case.

However, the illustration of a an egg being composed of a shell, the egg white, and the yolk is not misleading- and is appropriate to use to show how God is three distinct persons yet still essentially one- even though there is an element of mystery in the Trinity which probably cannot be fully comprehended by a mortal mind.

We could go on and on showing Biblical evidence for the Trinity.  Though not exhaustive, here are several more key passages along these lines which are straightforward and require little explanation.

Acts 1:1-8: “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all seen as distinct in the passage which was just read.

Acts 5:30-32: “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew (killed) and hanged on a tree.  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”

Romans 8:13-17: “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

By the way: Is Jesus God?  Of course.  Is the Holy Spirit God?  Of course.  As shown in the previous passages, the men of the Bible would speak of God in reference to God the Father while speaking of Christ and the Holy Spirit as distinct, co-equal persons.  They were careful to distinguish the persons within the Trinity while simultaneously emphasizing the unity of God and giving no occasion for anyone to claim that they were teaching polytheism (i.e. multiple gods).

In the following passages, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are equated with God (while we have already seen proof, and will continue to see proof, that they are also clearly distinguished one from one another).

Acts 5:1-4: “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it (knowledgeable of it), and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.  But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own?  and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?  thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”

Ananias was lying to God by lying to the Holy Ghost.

Acts 20:28: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

Titus 1:3-4: “But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior (my note- whom Jesus is about to equated to- keep listening); To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Are there even proofs of the Trinity in the Old Testament (the Tanakh)?  Yes.

Isaiah 48:16-17: “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.  Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”

Genesis 1:1-3: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”

We see the Trinity here because Jesus is the Word of God whom all things were created through.  His resurrection from the dead proved this.

John 1:1-4: “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.”

Some are against the use of the word Trinity because it is not found in the Bible.  Others may claim that acceptance of the word Trinity means one must also accept extra-Biblical authority in order to be consistent.  However, the former group is denying the use of a word which the whole of the Bible’s teaching does prove to be legitimate and warranted.  The latter group wants us to accept teachings which the whole of the Bible’s teaching does not warrant nor legitimize.  

Aaron’s email is: [email protected]

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