The Trinity — Did You Know Ministries

1 One God, Three Persons ○

Matthew 28:19

Believers are baptized in the name, singular, of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 "Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
The Old Testament opens with the declaration that the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Deuteronomy 6:4 "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one."
Yet Scripture speaks of the Father as God, the Son as God, and the Spirit as God, distinctly. John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
This is not three gods, but one God existing eternally as three persons. 2 Corinthians 13:14 "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
The mystery of the Trinity is affirmed throughout Scripture even though the word itself never appears. 1 John 5:7 "For there are three that testify."

Ask a Question

2 All Three at Once ○

Matthew 3:16-17

At Jesus' baptism, the Son came up out of the water. Matthew 3:16 "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water."
The Spirit descended like a dove and rested on Him. Matthew 3:16 "At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him."
The Father's voice spoke from heaven, saying this is my beloved Son. Matthew 3:17 "And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'"
All three persons of the Trinity are present and active in this single moment. Matthew 3:16-17 "The Spirit of God descending like a dove... and a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son.'"
This baptism marked the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. Luke 3:23 "Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry."

Ask a Question

3 I and the Father Are One ○

John 10:30

Jesus stated plainly, I and the Father are one. John 10:30 "I and the Father are one."
He said whoever has seen Him has seen the Father. John 14:9 "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."
Jesus received worship without correcting or refusing it, something reserved for God alone. Matthew 14:33 "Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'"
Thomas addressed the risen Jesus directly as my Lord and my God. John 20:28 "Thomas said to him, 'My Lord and my God!'"
Paul described Jesus as existing in the very nature of God. Philippians 2:6 "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage."

Ask a Question

4 The Spirit of God and of Christ ○

Romans 8:9

Paul used the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ interchangeably in the same verse. Romans 8:9 "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit... if the Spirit of Christ does not live in them."
The Spirit is described as searching even the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10 "The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God."
Jesus called the Spirit another advocate, sent to be with believers forever. John 14:16 "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever."
The Spirit is credited with the work of creation alongside the Father. Genesis 1:2 "Now the earth was formless and empty... and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."
Believers are described as a temple where God's Spirit lives. 1 Corinthians 3:16 "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?"

Ask a Question

5 Sent, Not Ranked ○

John 14:26

The Father sends the Spirit in the Son's name to teach and remind believers of all Jesus said. John 14:26 "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things."
Jesus said He would send the Spirit of truth from the Father. John 15:26 "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me."
Jesus said the Father is greater than He in the sense of His earthly mission, not His nature. John 14:28 "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I."
The Son does nothing by Himself but only what He sees the Father doing. John 5:19 "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing."
The sending relationship reflects order and mission within the Trinity, not inequality of being. John 17:18 "As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world."

Ask a Question

6 In the Beginning Was the Word ○

John 1:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
The Word, identified as Jesus, was with God in the beginning. John 1:2 "He was with God in the beginning."
Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3 "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."
The Word became flesh and lived among us. John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."
Colossians describes Christ as existing before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17 "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Ask a Question

7 A Person, Not a Force ○

Ephesians 4:30

Believers are warned not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
Grief is only possible for a person, not an impersonal force or energy. Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God."
The Spirit is described as speaking, guiding, and teaching, all personal actions. John 16:13 "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth."
Ananias and Sapphira were confronted for lying specifically to the Holy Spirit. Acts 5:3 "Then Peter said, 'Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit?'"
The Spirit intercedes for believers with feeling, not mechanically. Romans 8:26 "The Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans."

Ask a Question

8 One Name, Three Persons ○

Matthew 28:19

The baptismal command names Father, Son, and Spirit under one singular name. Matthew 28:19 "Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
This grammar itself points to unity of being alongside distinction of persons. Matthew 28:19 "Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Paul greeted churches with grace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ together. 1 Corinthians 1:3 "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Peter described believers as chosen according to the Father, through the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus. 1 Peter 1:2 "Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ."
All three persons are described as active in the believer's salvation, together. 1 Peter 1:2 "Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood."

Ask a Question

9 A Shared Blessing ○

2 Corinthians 13:14

Paul closes his letter with a blessing naming grace from the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 13:14 "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ."
He names the love of God alongside that grace. 2 Corinthians 13:14 "And the love of God."
He names the fellowship of the Holy Spirit as the third element of the same blessing. 2 Corinthians 13:14 "And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
This benediction treats all three persons as equally able to bless believers. 2 Corinthians 13:14 "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
Grace, love, and fellowship describe relationship, fitting a Trinity that is inherently relational. 2 Corinthians 13:14 "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

Ask a Question

10 Love Before Creation ○

John 17:24

Jesus prayed that His followers would see the glory the Father gave Him because He loved Him before the creation of the world. John 17:24 "For you loved me before the creation of the world."
This means love existed within the Trinity before anything else existed. John 17:24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."
God did not need creation to have someone to love, He was already in loving relationship within Himself. John 17:24 "You loved me before the creation of the world."
Jesus spoke often of the Father's love for Him as constant and prior to His mission on earth. John 15:9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love."
This eternal, internal love is the model believers are invited to share in through Christ. John 17:26 "In order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Ask a Question