Comparing The Unity Of God And The Trinity
I. The Unity of God is Clearly Taught in Scripture.
A. "Unto you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord He is God; there is none else beside Him." (Deuteronomy 4:35)
B. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." (Deuteronomy 6:4)
C. "Thus says the Lord the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6)
D. "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5)
II. How can There be a Multiplicity of Persons in This One God?
A. The Hebrew word Echad describes a united one or compound unity (Strong's Concordance).
1. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)
2. "And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they all have one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." (Genesis 11:6)
B. The Greek word for one in the New Testament reveals the same usage.
1. "I have planted, Appollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that plants anything, neither he that waters; but God that gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor." (1 Corinthians 3:6-8)
2. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)
C. Also the use of plural pronouns when God speaks of Himself.
1. "And God said, let us make man in 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 creeps on the earth." (Genesis 1:26)
2. "Go to, let us go down, and confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." (Genesis 11:7)
3. "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here I am; send me." (Isaiah 6:8)
4. Also the divine name of God used as a plural, Elohim, (Genesis 1:1).
5. Also both the Father and the Son seen as existing at the same time.
a. "And immediately coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mark 1:10,11)
b. "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever." (John 14:16)
c. "These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, And now, O Father glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." (John 17:1,5)
d. - Jesus takes the book from the Father's hand (Revelations 5:1-7).
1. The Word was "with" God in the beginning (John 1:1).
2. The Father speaks to the Son in each reference as a person who exists (Hebrews 1:4-8).
3. Jesus prays to the Father to be glorified with the same glory they had together before the world was (John 17:5).
4. Notice, "I am not alone", the Father bore witness to Him by speaking out of heaven (John 8:16-18) (Mark 1:10,11).
5. Notice, there are three persons involved in this verse; the person speaking "I", "The Lord God", "His Spirit" (Isaiah 48:16,17).
III. Where do we see the Trinity taught in the Scripture?
A. Each person is called God.
1. Father (1 Corinthians 1:3).
2. Son (Hebrews 1:8).
3. Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3,4).
B. Each person has the same attributes of God.
1. Omnipresence
a. Father (Jeremiah 23:23,24).
b. Son (Matthew 18:20).
c. Holy Spirit (Psalms 139:7-10).
2. Eternal
a. Father (Deuteronomy 33:27)(Isaiah 57:15).
b. Son (Hebrews 1:8)(Micah 5:2)(John 12:34).
c. Holy Spirit (Hebrews 9:14).
C. Each person does the same work as God alone.
1. Creation
a. Father (Genesis 1:1,2)(Hebrews 3:4).
b. Son (John 1:1-3)(John 1:10).
c. Holy Spirit (Job 33:4)(Psalms 104:30).
2. Sanctification
a. Father (Jude 1).
b. Son (1 Corinthians 1:2).
c. Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:2).
3. Who raised Jesus from the dead?
a. Father (Acts 3:26)(1 Thessalonians 1:10)(Galatians 1:1).
b. Son (John 2:19-21)(John 10:17,18).
c. Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11)(1 Peter 3:18).
4. Who inspired the prophets?
a. Father (Luke 1:68-70).
b. Son (1 Peter 1:11).
c. Holy Spirit (Acts 1:16)(2 Peter 1:21).
5. Who strengthens me?
a. Father (1 Peter 5:10).
b. Son (Philippians 4:13).
c. Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16).
Conclusion: Since the Bible doesn't contradict itself, here is what the evidence of Scripture reveals. In the nature of the One True God, there are three persons revealed as the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. Jehovah is the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. I don't believe anyone can fully understand God or His ways because He is infinite, and we are finite. "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out" (Romans 11:33). Also we only know in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). Therefore I must accept what Scripture clearly reveals whether I understand it or not.
This study was written by Pastor Steve Carr. If we can be of any further assistance please contact us at