I have a question about the Trinity.

gordonhooker · Mar 2, 2019

The moment we try to put the Trinity into words we realise it points to a greater mystery than we will ever understand.

TheBibleSays · Mar 2, 2019

Neogaia777 said:
Matthew 28:19- "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

They have the same name, because they are God Almighty... Also says in the name of the Lord sometimes... But they are Jehovah/Yahweh/Elohim... But only them... The whole number "three" is sometimes a profound statement in itself sometimes, relationally most especially... also mathematically, geometrically, ect...

God Bless!

mathematically, the Holy Trinity is 1x1x1, which is 1; and not, 1+1+1, which is 3!

TheBibleSays · Mar 2, 2019

Neogaia777 said:
We play multiple roles sometimes, but God not only plays them, but actually "is them all"... anyone of the three are... all others are more limited... so how would they relate to each other, each being all roles equally, or each equally capable of all roles equally..?

God Bless!

The Holy Trinity is not merely One Person playing different "roles", but actually Three distinct, though not, separate, Persons. To say that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and mere "roles" of the One same Person, is the ancient hersey known as modalism, which some also hold to today!

The definition of Person is:

“A living, self-conscious being, as distinct from an animal or a thing; a moral agent” (Webster’s English Dictionary, 1913 ed)

“Definition of Personality. Personality exists where there is intelligence, mind, will, reason, individuality, self-consciousness, and self-determination. There must be not mere consciousness—for the beast has that—but self-consciousness. Nor is personality determination—for the beast has this, too, even though this determination be the result of influences from without—but self-determination, the power by which man from an act of his own free will determines his acts from within.

Neither corporeity nor substance, as we understand these words, are necessarily, if at all, involved in personality. There may be true personality without either or both of these.

(William Evans, The Great Doctrines of the Bible, p.22)

“PERSONALITY. In the first place, we endeavor to establish the personality of the Holy Spirit. By this we here mean that the Holy Spirit is a real being, possessing intelligence, and performing personal actions; not, however, a being distinct and separate in essence from the Father. We understand the one undivided essence or being in the Godhead to exist in three distinct persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We would prove the personality of the Holy Ghost, 1. By the appellations; 2. By the actions; 3. By the honors, ascribed to him. If these be such as can only be applicable to a real and personal existence, then the inference will be clear that the Holy Spirit is a real and personal being, and not a mere abstract attribute, energy, or influence.”

(Thomas Ralston - Elements of Divinity, p.40)

TheBibleSays · Mar 2, 2019

gordonhooker said:
The moment we try to put the Trinity into words we realise it points to a greater mystery than we will ever understand.

Agree that the Holy Trinity is indeed the Greatest Mystery of all. However, the Holy Bible does define Who Alimighty God is, using human words to convey this Truth. Though we are very limited in what it tells us.

Neogaia777 · Mar 2, 2019

TheBibleSays said:
The Holy Trinity is not merely One Person playing different "roles", but actually Three distinct, though not, separate, Persons. To say that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and mere "roles" of the One same Person, is the ancient hersey known as modalism, which some also hold to today!

The definition of Person is:

“A living, self-conscious being, as distinct from an animal or a thing; a moral agent” (Webster’s English Dictionary, 1913 ed)

“Definition of Personality. Personality exists where there is intelligence, mind, will, reason, individuality, self-consciousness, and self-determination. There must be not mere consciousness—for the beast has that—but self-consciousness. Nor is personality determination—for the beast has this, too, even though this determination be the result of influences from without—but self-determination, the power by which man from an act of his own free will determines his acts from within.

Neither corporeity nor substance, as we understand these words, are necessarily, if at all, involved in personality. There may be true personality without either or both of these.

(William Evans, The Great Doctrines of the Bible, p.22)

“PERSONALITY. In the first place, we endeavor to establish the personality of the Holy Spirit. By this we here mean that the Holy Spirit is a real being, possessing intelligence, and performing personal actions; not, however, a being distinct and separate in essence from the Father. We understand the one undivided essence or being in the Godhead to exist in three distinct persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We would prove the personality of the Holy Ghost, 1. By the appellations; 2. By the actions; 3. By the honors, ascribed to him. If these be such as can only be applicable to a real and personal existence, then the inference will be clear that the Holy Spirit is a real and personal being, and not a mere abstract attribute, energy, or influence.”

(Thomas Ralston - Elements of Divinity, p.40)

Do you even understand what I mean about "roles"...? Family roles and relations, like we are a Father, but also a Son (to someone), Mother/Daughter, Child/Grown-up, and we relate to certain or some others in these ways, like with animals, Lion/Lamb, Dove/Crow, or whatever, or our professions, or whatever, or whatever combination of sometimes numerous but limited compared to God, whatever combination of these that make up who we are...

And I said He or any of them (the trinity) is not only is capable of playing any of them, or multiples of them, at any time of their choosing out of any and/or all of them, but that THEY ARE ALL OF THEM... And nothing and no else is or can, not with all or any of them, besides God and God alone...Now, how would three of these relate to each other, is what I asked...?

God Bless!

mmksparbud · Mar 2, 2019

Mountainmanbob said:
Little man when thinking regarding the trinity think not so much of yourself and what you think is right or could be right or wrong.

Believe God have faith finish the good race.

There's so much here that we do not understand or know.

M-Bob

TheBibleSays said:
mathematically, the Holy Trinity is 1x1x1, which is 1; and not, 1+1+1, which is 3!

These are my favorite responses. One thing I do know---Yes--God is love, He is not merely "loving"---He IS love, but He is also MATH!!
You can't read the bible without seeing that God and math are one! There is math all over nature, there is math all over music, all over everything--you can't get away from it! And it's difficult for me as I can't stand math! It was always my worst subject, I was OK at the basics, once I got into Algebra and physics---forget it, my mind just was overwhelmed, when I thought I had a correct answer, I found out I didn't. If it weren't for math, I would have graduated with a point 4 average instead of the lousy 3.8---always upset me, just missed the mark! I think mathematicians have a mind closer to how God's mind works!
Best visual description I heard, and could see, was the egg---it is 3 parts-- yolk, white, and shell---all 3 are required for that to be yet they can all work and function separately. May not be a perfect answer, nor the best--it helps me with the concept. I plan to find out the rest in person one day soon!

gordonhooker · Mar 2, 2019

TheBibleSays said:
Agree that the Holy Trinity is indeed the Greatest Mystery of all. However, the Holy Bible does define Who Alimighty God is, using human words to convey this Truth. Though we are very limited in what it tells us.

What is your point?

Neostarwcc · Mar 2, 2019

TheBibleSays said:
The first verse of the Holy Bible says, "in the beginning ʼĕlôhîym...". Here we have the Hebrew word "ʼĕlôhîym", which is masculine in gender, and plural in number, GOD. Some have argued that the plural does not refer to "plurality of Persons", but to "majesty", as a king or queen would say, "we". This, however is not the case with "ʼĕlôhîym", when used for the One True God of the Holy Bible. In this same chapter in Genesis, we read, "And ʼĕlôhîym said, Let US make man in our image, after OUR likeness" (verse 26). Again, those opposed to the Holy Trinity, argue that here ʼĕlôhîym is speaking to the angels in heaven, or some other heavenly beings. This is nothing but speculation, because no where in the entire Bible, are we told that human beings are created in the "image" of angels, but we are told, that we are created in the Image of God!

In Ecclesiastes 12:1, we read, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth". Here the Hebrew word for "Creator", is "bârâʼ", which is plural in number, literally, "Creators"! Likewise, in Job 35:10; and Isaiah 54:5, we have "Your Maker", which again in the Hebrew, "ʻâsâh", is in the plural, "Makers". In Passages like Hebrews 2:10, we read of God the Father as Creator of the universe. Then, in places like Hebrews 1:10:13, we read of God the Father addressing Jesus Christ, and ascribing direct Creation to Him, not as merely the "mediator", as some wrongly assume, but as the actual Creator. In fact, in this passage in Hebrews, the Father is applying Psalm 102:25-27, which is addressed to Yahweh as The Creator, directly to the Lord Jesus Christ, thereby declaring that He is Almighty God. The same Hebrew word, "ʻâsâh", in its singular form, is used for the Holy Spirit in Job 33:4, "The Spirit of God has made [âsâh] me". Here we have Creation ascribed to God the Holy Spirit.

In Isaiah 48:16, we have the clearest reference in the Old Testament, to the Holy Trinity. Here the Speaker is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, Who Speaks as Yahweh. Here also, those who oppose the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, have sought to remove the Holy Trinity from this passage, by arguing that the speaker here is the Prophet Isaiah, or someone else. However, this is shown to be quite wrong from the passage itself. In verse 12, the Speaker says, "Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last"; and the following verse, "Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.". Which is impossible for any human being! So, here in 48:16, we have Yahweh as the Speaker, Jesus Christ, Who says, "and now the Lord (Yahweh) has sent Me and His Spirit". Here both Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are the two "objects" in the sentence. Bible versions like the King James, render the Hebrew incorrectly, "and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.", making the Lord God and Holy Spirit as two subjects! The order of words in the Hebrew, Greek and Latin, all read: "and now the Lord (Yahweh) has sent Me and His Spirit". As do the following Jewish publications:

“And now the Lord God has sent me, and his Spirit” (The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text, A New Translation. The Jewish Publication Society of America. 5677-1917)

“And now, the Lord Eternal hath sent me, and his Spirit” (Isaac Leeser, The Twenty-Four Books of the Holy Scriptures: Carefully Translated According to the Massoretic Text)

“ and now, the Lord God has sent me, and His spirit.” (The Complete Jewish Bible, with Rashi Commentary, chabad.org)

“I have not spoken in secret from beginning from the time that it was, there am I : and now the Lord Eternal hath sent me, and his spirit.” (Dr A Benisch; Jewish School and Family Bible, Vol. III)

Also in the Dead Sea Scrolls:

“Draw near to me, and hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret; at the time it came to be, I was there. And now the Lord God has sent me and his spirit.” (Martin Abegg Jr., Peter Flint and Eugene Ulrich. The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible)

In the New Testament we read of the Father sending Jesus Christ; “and the Father Himself, Who has sent Me” (John 5:37, and elsewhere); and the Holy Spirit, "“But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name” (John 14:26, and elsewhere). However, no where do we read of the Holy Spirit "sending" Jesus Christ!

In Matthew 28:19, we have a very clear reference to the Holy Trinity;

"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptise them into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".

The Greek here is of great importance. The sentence, "ὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος" (literally, "The Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit), shows, by the use of the definite artice in the Greek, "τοῦ", which is prefixed to each noun (Father, Son, Spirit), shows that They are "distinct" from each other, though not "separate". Here we have Three "Persons", but One Name, where the Greek "ὸ ὄνομα", in in the singular number. The reference to "ὸ ὄνομα" here is no doubt to that which Yahweh gave Moses at the Burning Bush, "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD [Yahweh] God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is My Name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations." (Exodus 3:14-15). The Name "Yahweh", is the same root meaning of "I am", meaning "the eternal, self-existing". It is this Name, "Yahweh", which the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have as One.

Let no one suppose, that because here we have the "order" of Persons, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that somehow this shows their "importance", or "priority". This is not so. In 2 Corinthians 13:14, the "order" is , "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen"; and Ephesians 4:4-6, it is, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."

Soli Deo Gloria!

Thank you for your explanation of scripture. It shed the Trinity in a whole new light for me. Ever since a few years ago I've believed in the triune God but it felt like such a blind faith. Anyway... Thanks. I didn't know that elohim was a plural word in Hebrew. Is there a word in Hebrew for a singular one God?

psalm911 · Mar 2, 2019

Neostarwcc said:
Okay so, God is three distinct persons in one God correct? But how can that be? Isn't the worship of one God in three distinct persons worshipping three different Gods? Where in scripture has it been said that the Holy Spirit is God?

I mean in Genesis 1:26 God says "Let us create mankind in our image" now if God were not at least two in one why would he have said something like this? But yet how can God possibly be three distinct fully God persons and yet still be one God? It's just not possible and I might have to wait until I meet God to know the truth. But it does make me wonder... Can somebody please satisfactorily answer my question? Thanks.

The "us" is referring to the body of Christ and "God" is referring to Jesus.

Neostarwcc · Mar 2, 2019

psalm911 said:
The "us" is referring to the body of Christ and "God" is referring to Jesus.

But didn't the entire Trinity play a role in creation? I think I read somewhere in the NT that God the Father also played a role in creation.

EastCoastRemnant · Mar 2, 2019

I have a question I posted in another thread that was never addressed... hopefully someone can answer it or at least discuss it.

If the Holy Spirit is a distinct person from the Father, then how is the Father the Father of Jesus when the Bible states it is was the Holy Spirit that came on Mary? Wouldn't that make the Holy Spirit Jesus' Father?

Each of us has a spirit, I think we'll all agree. Is that spirit a separate person from ourselves? If we are created in the image of God, wouldn't it be consistent then that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father.... and by extension because Christ has the same Divinity, the Spirit of His Son as well? After all, we are told that the Father is Spirit.

Matt 10:20
For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

and

Galatians 4:6
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Neostarwcc · Mar 2, 2019

EastCoastRemnant said:
I have a question I posted in another thread that was never addressed... hopefully someone can answer it or at least discuss it.

If the Holy Spirit is a distinct person from the Father, then how is the Father the Father of Jesus when the Bible states it is was the Holy Spirit that came on Mary? Wouldn't that make the Holy Spirit Jesus' Father?

Each of us has a spirit, I think we'll all agree. Is that spirit a separate person from ourselves? If we are created in the image of God, wouldn't it be consistent then that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father.... and by extension because Christ has the same Divinity, the Spirit of His Son as well? After all, we are told that the Father is Spirit.

Matt 10:20
For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

and

Galatians 4:6
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

That is a good question. I don't know the answer to it though. I mean Jesus calls God the Father his father multiple times in scripture. But maybe the answer is similar to us? We call God the Father our Father in heaven despite us having a biological Father that we also call our Father. Same with Jesus maybe? The Holy Spirit is his biologicaoml Father yet he calls God the Father his Father? Just a thought.

Maria Billingsley · Mar 2, 2019

Neostarwcc said:
Okay so, God is three distinct persons in one God correct? But how can that be? Isn't the worship of one God in three distinct persons worshipping three different Gods? Where in scripture has it been said that the Holy Spirit is God?

I mean in Genesis 1:26 God says "Let us create mankind in our image" now if God were not at least two in one why would he have said something like this? But yet how can God possibly be three distinct fully God persons and yet still be one God? It's just not possible and I might have to wait until I meet God to know the truth. But it does make me wonder... Can somebody please satisfactorily answer my question? Thanks.

The alternative, modlaism (the doctrine that the persons of the Trinity represent only three modes or aspects of the divine revelation, not distinct and coexisting persons in the divine nature.), just doesn't line up with scripture. Three in one, if you do a comparable, can be understood more easily. For instance, our own body can be used as an example:

We are made in the flesh, we have an intellect, the mind, and we have a spirit. Yet we are one body.
Three in one.

IMHO
Blessings

ViaCrucis · Mar 2, 2019

JohnB445 said:
Here is a challenge.

Yes God is 3 in 1. Triune being.

But show me where scripture says "3 persons".

The word "person" is a complicated one.

The historic language is to speak of three Hypostases. And while hypostasis is sometimes translated as "person" in English, that isn't its chief meaning. A more literal translation of hypostasis would be subsistence. So there is one Ousia (being, essence, or substance); there are three Hypostases (subsistances).

That word hypostasis is used in Scripture at least once that I am aware of, and that's in the first chapter of Hebrews chapter 1, where Christ is called "the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his hypostasis,"--here hypostasis is translated (depending on translation) as "nature", "being", "character", and "person" (etc); that is the Son reflects the Father. It is the Father's hypostasis being reflected in Jesus' hypostasis.

The Church has spoken of three Hypostases or Subsistences; or in perhaps more layman-friendly language, three distinct Someones. Literally hypostasis is a combination of the prefix "hypo" meaning "under" and the word "stasis", meaning "to stand"; likewise subsistentia (Latin) is "sub" "under" and "sistens" "placing".

There are Three which are One. We use the word hypostases to refer to the Three distinct realities or "Persons" of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and we use the word ousia to refer to the undivided being; that is what the Father is, what the Son is, what the Holy Spirit is.

The Father is God.
The Son is God.
The Holy Spirit is God.

That is the ousia, the being, the is-ness of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Whereas hypostasis or "Person" refers to the this-ness.

The Father's this-ness is that He is the Father, as distinct from the Son and the Holy Spirit, He is unbegotten, unproceeding, but from Him is begotten the Son, and from Him proceeds the Holy Spirit.

The Son's this-ness is that He is the Son, as distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit, He is only-begotten, unproceeding, He is the only-begotten of the Father.

The Holy Spirit's this-ness is that He is the Holy Spirit, as distinct from the Father and the Son, He proceeds from the Father [and the Son].

We use the term "Person" and "Persons" here because we are not talking about impersonal realities, but personal realities; we are talking about Someones. The Father is not an impersonal something-or-other; He is the Father who eternally begets His beloved Son, and who has made all things and loves us, that love which He shows forth through His Son (who, likewise, loves His Father) who became flesh, dwelt among us, suffered and died for the sake of us sinners out of His great love for us and the whole world. And through His Spirit who was poured out on Pentecost, and is promised to us in Christ, that as adopted sons and daughters of God, joint-heirs with Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit in us crying out "Abba! Father!" to know that we are indeed children.

That is why we call them Persons.

-CryptoLutheran

Ing Bee · Mar 2, 2019

Neostarwcc said:
Okay so, God is three distinct persons in one God correct? But how can that be? Isn't the worship of one God in three distinct persons worshipping three different Gods? Where in scripture has it been said that the Holy Spirit is God?

I mean in Genesis 1:26 God says "Let us create mankind in our image" now if God were not at least two in one why would he have said something like this?

But yet how can God possibly be three distinct fully God persons and yet still be one God? It's just not possible and I might have to wait until I meet God to know the truth. But it does make me wonder... Can somebody please satisfactorily answer my question? Thanks.

Hi Neostarwcc-
Thanks for the questions. Set aside the word "trinity"; in scripture and history Yahweh has revealed himself as:

three distinct divine persons who
share the same being (uncreated)
share the same nature (essential features- all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect, unchanging, everywhere present, good, etc.)
in harmonious, self-giving, other focused relationship (agape) and
choosing distinct roles in relating to the created world, especially humanity

The five bolded terms above are the keys to look for in scripture. I believe there is a God-given analogy to understand this reality: humans.

Being- Humans (like everything else apart from God) are created as opposed to Yahweh who is uncreated. All humans share this "created" being. The three divine persons share the uncreated being.

Nature - Billions of humans share the same human nature. A baby is fully human. A fetus is fully human. An amputee is fully human. A down-syndrome person is fully human. Our humanity is not the artistic talents we have, or our eye color. The essential human nature is shared.

Persons- Instead of billions of distinct persons who share the human nature, the divine nature, is shared by only three persons identified to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All persons have MIND, WILL and EMOTIONS because we are patterned on the interpersonal community of Three. Each of the three persons is said to have mind, will and emotions.

Relationship - Since Yahweh is a divine, uncreated community of three persons, Agape is an essential feature of Yahweh, not a secondary attribute (1 John 4:8 - God IS agape). Agape REQUIRES at least two people. You cannot have agape with only one since agape must have an object to receive the action of agape love. But the bible doesn't say God HAS agape or that he acquired the ability once he created 'others', it says he IS love.

Roles - the distinction between the three persons is most clearly seen in the roles each has taken on. This is seen throughout the Bible, but is highlighted in the New Testament.

For example, the FATHER is never sent and has never been seen. He is the initiator, the sender. HE provides the Father/Child connection we now have.

The SON/WORD is the MEANS of creation and salvation. He always represents the FATHER (John 1:18). In the Old Testament, The Angel of Yahweh stands in for Yahweh on many occasions yet receives worship, blesses people in his own power, doesn't reveal his name, and is identified with Jesus in the New Testament (Jude 1:5).

The SPIRIT is the POWER of God in creation, salvation, sanctification. He reveals the thoughts of God in the Old Testament to prophets and to his people since he was poured out by Jesus. (1 Cor. 2)

A (very)few passages that demonstrate these concepts:

Genesis 1, and John 1 While I don't think that "let us create man in our image" is necessarily a trinitarian passage, the pre-creation' 'setup' in Genesis 1:1-3 definitely is we have God (the Father) intiaiting the creation through God, the Word), and God, the Spirit) hovering over the water - all three involved in the Creation. John picks this up in John 1, echoing the "In the beginning" language from Genesis 1 and explicitly identifying Jesus as "the Word of God" who made all things and was with the Father.
John's Gospel (esp. Ch. 6, 10, 16, 17) The rest of John's gospel is devoted to showing Jesus as the "Word who became flesh and dwelt among us…full of grace and truth." Later on Jesus will say he is going back to the Father to the "glory I had with you before the world began (John 17:5) and that he will send the Holy Spirit as a helper, teacher, and enabler with power (John 16). Jesus, always affirming the unity/oneness of God, prays that his church will be one as he and the Father are one: one in purpose, one in spirit, one in faith, but NOT one in person!

Also, Jesus, and later the apostles, say that the Son has been given all judgement, because the Father wants to glorify the Son, jsut as the Son is glorifying the Father.
Acts 2 & 3 Peter has Jesus ("the Author of Life") being sent and approved by the Father. Jesus, now risen in power, pours out the Holy Spirit on "all flesh" according to the prophecy in Joel 2.
Epistles: Listen to the parallel language in Ephesians 1:3-14, Titus 3:3-7, Romans 1:1-5, 1 Peter 1:1-10. The Father's love and initiative are constantly "up front". The Son's active role as the Agent of salvation, new creation, new covenant. The Spirits being "poured out"
Father, Son and Spirit are all said to have raised Jesus from the dead. (Romans 6:4, John 10:17-18)
Father, Son and Spirit are all said to be the source of life (1 John 5:11, Romans 810-11)

I could go on, but I hope this will suffice for now. The Christian life is participation in the divine community of three: the Love OF the the Father (John 3:16), THROUGH the Son (Romans 6:1-11), BY the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives (Ephesians 1:13-14).

I hope that's helpful

Ing Bee · Mar 2, 2019

Neostarwcc said:
So the Father the Son and The Holy Spirit are all names of the same one God because God is one with himself? Like say for example the Holy Spirit is a part of the Son just as much as The Holy Spirit is a part of the Father and so on? Yet God continues to be one God despite being in three different forms? I think that kinda makes sense. It makes as much sense as its probably going to anyway. I was just wondering because throughout the Old Testament God identifies himself as one and through the new testament all of a sudden three persons of God are introduced.

I wrote a long reply to the OP, but in response to your comment above, resist the temptation to "moosh" the persons together (for reasons I address in my longer reponse). This is actually a heresy called "modalism" that was addressed early on in Christian history.

Second, there are good reasons that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are fully revealed in the New Testament:

Splitting the Bible into "Old" and "New" testaments is misleading. The followers of Jesus understood him to be the fulfillment of all of God's promises to the prophets and patriarchs of the past (Hebrews 1:1-2, Acts 2, Acts 3, etc.)
All three ARE present in the O.T. but with some intentional "veiling". For example, the reason the prophecy in Joel 2:28-32 is so amazing, is that in the past, only prophets, some kings and a few other special instances (e.g. the designers of the tabernacle) was the Holy Spirit ever sent.

For a fun study, look up all the instances of "the angel of the LORD (Yahweh)" in the Bible online and see how this representative is utterly unique in all of the Bible. Also, look at the Son of Man prophecy in Daniel 7:13-14 and compare that to how Jesus and his disciples talked about him, especially post resurrection.
This was God's unfolding plan: Genesis 3:14-15, Genesis 12:1-3, Galatians 4:4, Acts 2:23, Isaiah 53, Hebrews 1:1-2, Acts 17:30, Ephesians 3:1-5, Romans 1:17, Romans 3:21, and many, many more.)

Hope that's helpful.

TheBibleSays · Mar 2, 2019

Neostarwcc said:
Thank you for your explanation of scripture. It shed the Trinity in a whole new light for me. Ever since a few years ago I've believed in the triune God but it felt like such a blind faith. Anyway... Thanks. I didn't know that elohim was a plural word in Hebrew. Is there a word in Hebrew for a singular one God?

The singular Hebrew word for God is "eloah".

TheBibleSays · Mar 2, 2019

EastCoastRemnant said:
I have a question I posted in another thread that was never addressed... hopefully someone can answer it or at least discuss it.

If the Holy Spirit is a distinct person from the Father, then how is the Father the Father of Jesus when the Bible states it is was the Holy Spirit that came on Mary? Wouldn't that make the Holy Spirit Jesus' Father?

Each of us has a spirit, I think we'll all agree. Is that spirit a separate person from ourselves? If we are created in the image of God, wouldn't it be consistent then that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father.... and by extension because Christ has the same Divinity, the Spirit of His Son as well? After all, we are told that the Father is Spirit.

Matt 10:20
For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

and

Galatians 4:6
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

The Holy Spirit caused Mary to get pregnant. The Father, as the First Person of the Trinity is know, is not the literal "Father" of Jesus Christ, as in human speak, because He does not "predate", or have a Primary place in the Godhead. The terms Father and Son are used for the relationship that exists between the First and Second Person, and the distinction that it also there. So, it was only Jesus Who was born, and only Jesus Who died, not the Father or Holy Spirit. The Three Persons are 100% coequal, coeternal and coessential.

TheBibleSays · Mar 2, 2019

Neostarwcc said:
That is a good question. I don't know the answer to it though. I mean Jesus calls God the Father his father multiple times in scripture. But maybe the answer is similar to us? We call God the Father our Father in heaven despite us having a biological Father that we also call our Father. Same with Jesus maybe? The Holy Spirit is his biologicaoml Father yet he calls God the Father his Father? Just a thought.

Where does it say in Scripture, that the Holy Spirit is Jesus' "biological" Father? Jesus is 100% Deity, and has no beginning. Through the working of the Holy Spirit, Mary became "impregnated" with the God-Man, Jesus Christ, 100% God and 100% Man. Neither is God the Father the "actual" Father of Jesus Christ, as there Three Persons are equally God, and coexist from eternity. This is indeed a great Mystery.

EastCoastRemnant · Mar 2, 2019

TheBibleSays said:
The Holy Spirit caused Mary to get pregnant. The Father, as the First Person of the Trinity is know, is not the literal "Father" of Jesus Christ, as in human speak, because He does not "predate", or have a Primary place in the Godhead. The terms Father and Son are used for the relationship that exists between the First and Second Person, and the distinction that it also there. So, it was only Jesus Who was born, and only Jesus Who died, not the Father or Holy Spirit. The Three Persons are 100% coequal, coeternal and coessential.

John 8:42
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

John 16:27-29
For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

I have a question about the Trinity.

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