What Does the Bible Say About the Trinity?

The Lord God is one, but at the same time three persons; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. From all eternity all these three persons have existed in one triune God. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Spirit is God, but the Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Spirit, etc. (just as liquid water is h₂o, steam is h₂o, and ice is h₂o, but liquid water is not ice, and ice is not steam, etc.). The meaning of the Trinity has been present from the first three verses of the Bible and then revealed more and more, finally becoming more and more clear in the New Testament. The Trinity bears witness to the fact that God is, at his core, a loving fellowship that humbles and exalts one another. God is at the same time Creator, Saviour and Giver of Life.

Bible Verses

“¹In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ²The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. ³And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” (Ge 1:1–3)

“¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. … ¹⁴And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (Jn 1:1–3, Jn 1:14)

“⁴“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Dt 6:4)

“²⁸Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”” (Jn 20:28)

“⁹because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Ro 10:9)

“¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” (Mt 28:19–20)

“¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Co 3:17–18)

“³⁰I and the Father are one.”” (Jn 10:30)

“²⁷All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Mt 11:27)

“¹³waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” (Tt 2:13)

“⁹For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,” (Col 2:9)

“¹⁴The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Co 13:14)

“⁸But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.” (Heb 1:8)

“¹³And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” ¹⁴And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.” (Re 5:13–14)

Study Questions

1. Do you know of any good educational images that describe the Trinity?
2. What does it mean that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all at the same time God, but three different persons?
3. What does it mean that the essence of God is “fellowship”?
4. Is it possible to understand the doctrine of the Trinity by thought or does it require revelation from God?
5. Is it possible to fully understand God without the doctrine of the Trinity?
6. Does one have to believe in the Trinity to be saved?

Additional Bible Verses

John 8:24, Exodus 3:14, Luke 10:21, Romans 8:9, John 5:18, John 5:23, John 8:58-59